90-Year-Old Golf Course in Fayetteville Heads To Foreclosure

90-Year-Old Golf Course in Fayetteville Heads To Foreclosure

FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. (WHNT) – It appears to be the last round at a long-time Lincoln County golf course that’s now heading to foreclosure.

Managers at Fayetteville Golf and Country Club said they owe more than $500,000 on delinquent mortgage payments to The Bank of Lincoln County. Bank officials told WHNT News 19 that foreclosure is pending, with a public auction set to be held at the Lincoln County Courthouse next month. The golf course opened in 1924, and has played host to legendary names such as singer Gene Autry and former Tennessee Volunteers Head Football Coach Johnny Majors.

Country Club board member and golf course caretaker James Toon said wasteful spending on renovations and a rapidly shrinking membership base has led to the golf course’s demise.

“We spent more than we should have, and we lost half our members,” said Toon, who played his first round at FGCC when he was nine years old. “Over the last 10 to 12 years we’ve had some poor management… we ran into a trend that everybody wanted to make this clubhouse better, and I’d say 90 percent of the money we’re in debt in right now is on this clubhouse. What’s done is done.”

Toon said there are currently 115 members at FGCC, less than half of their total from just 10 years ago.

FGCC President Elizabeth Williams did not respond to our request for comment. It’s not yet known if full or partial refunds will be given to those who may have bought long-term memberships.